Cheap Labor Seen as Main Benefit to New EU

Cheap labour is the biggest contribution to the EU from its new member states, according to a survey carried out among Czechs, Hungarians, Poles and Slovaks. A Central European Opinion Research Group research poll in the four Visegrad coutnries showed that 50 percent in the Czech Republic, and 55 percent in Hungary and Poland consider a cheap labor force to be their country’s biggest contribution to the EU. The Slovaks pointed to industriousness and hard work as their main contribution to the European Union (47 percent), closely followed by a cheap labor (46 percent). Meanwhile, Poles think their tradition, moral values and religion (33 percent) and agricultural products (30 percent) also benefit Europe. The Czechs offered tourist attractions and good vacations (44 percent) and an open market for Western products (31 percent) as their main attributions. Hungarians said their culture and art (36 percent) and industriousness and hard work (34 percent) contribute to the EU, while the Slovaks were said they provided their well-educated society (33 percent) and creativity and cleverness (30 percent). (EUobserver.com)